Soft and Chewy M&M Cookies
These evenly chewy, buttery M&M cookies are speedy to make (no chilling required) and straightforward to eat! Great for making ahead, with a simple recipe that is fun for bakers of all ages!
A warm, chewy, chocolate chip cookie is our go-to, but there is something about candy that just hits the sweet tooth differently. Peanut Butter M&Ms were our favorite in college, and our grandma had a habit of keeping whatever she knew we loved stashed away in a tin on her stairway. There was always a steady supply of peanut butter M&Ms waiting for us.
Something about those bright colors, the chocolate, the hard shell – make them so reliable and beautiful in a cookie. We've wanted to revamp this recipe for some time, and we are so happy to share this new and improved version with you!
These cookies are wonderfully soft with the reliable amount of chewiness and are loaded with M&Ms… a candy lover’s dream cookie!
How to make M&M cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and line two baking sheets
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside
- Using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and both kinds of sugar
- Add your egg and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture
- Lower the speed on your mixer and slowly add your flour mixture, beating until smooth
- Finally, fold in your M&M candies
- Place scoops of dough two inches apart on the lined baking sheets
- Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are set but the cookie is still pale in color
- Cool in pan for five minutes, and then finish on a wire rack
Baker notes
- How do they keep from melting? The candy shell keeps the melted chocolate contained, making the candies evenly soft.
- Making sure your dough is all the same size will ensure your cookies bake evenly! Finding a good scoop for this is key, and we love using this one myself!
- We use regular size M&Ms in this recipe, but you could definitely use mini M&Ms if you’d like!
- Using seasonal M&Ms in this recipe is simple, and freezing a batch of holiday cookies for gifts is always a hit.
- Mix-Ins: You can swap out some of the M&Ms for chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, Reese’s Pieces, or other candies, to make your own candy-cookie creation!
Keeping leftovers
- The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Cookies: Once baked and cooled, you can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container (just let them defrost for a bit before you bite in).
- Freezing Dough: The dough is also great in the freezer for up to 3 months. Scoop balls of the dough into an airtight container with parchment paper layered between the dough. For a speedy snack or when you’re ready for a batch, pull the dough out, and bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes.
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 15 minutes
- Total: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup ( 228 g ) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup ( 113 g ) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup ( 160 g ) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup ( 50 g ) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cup ( 312 g ) M&M candies (or combo of M&Ms and chocolate chips)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine, another 1 minute.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating until the dough just comes together. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix in the M&Ms.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball, placing them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake until the edges are set but the cookies are still quite pale, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Equipment: Sheet pans / cookie scoop
Mix-Ins: You can substitute or mix and match add-ins as desired. Some ideas – semisweet chocolate chips, mini M&Ms, butterscotch chips, Reese’s Pieces, other candies, etc. Use seasonal M&Ms for holidays!
Storage: You can keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing Dough: Place balls of cookie dough in an airtight container (place parchment between layers) and freeze for up to 3 months. Baked from frozen at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes.
Freezing Cookies: Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or resealable bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature then enjoy!
Photography by Lauren Grant.
